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Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Author Guest Post and Character Interview: Dianne Duvall

Character Interview: Étienne & Krysta

Thank you for joining me! And thank you, Melissa, for letting me visit Books and Things again. Today is release day for DARKNESS RISES, the fourth book in my Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series! I’m so excited! If you like alpha males and strong heroines, danger mixed with humor, action and intensity interspersed with soft, tender moments, and — of course — steamy romance, then this book is for you. ;-) After barely surviving a vicious vampire attack, mortal Krysta Linz has dedicated her life to slaying every blood-sucking, psychotic vampire she can find. She does an excellent job of it, too . . . until Immortal Guardian Étienne d’Alençon sees her take on four vampires by herself and is instantly captivated. Sparks soon fly as he endeavors to learn more of her and Krysta discovers that not everyone with fangs and glowing eyes is her enemy.

I thought I would have a little fun and give readers a glimpse of my Immortal Guardians crew through a series of character interviews. Thank you, to my friends online, for providing some of the questions. :) Today Krysta and Étienne will be interviewed by Sheldon, his brother Richart’s notoriously green Second, or human assistant:

Sheldon: Hi, guys. Thanks for taking time out of tonight’s hunt to finish the interview.

Krysta: What is this for again? Étienne never told me.

Étienne: Because you kept distracting me.

Krysta: *winks* I didn’t hear you complaining.

Sheldon: Don’t start flirting with him. His eyes are already beginning to glow and I’d like to at least get a handful of questions answered before he carries you off to do I-don’t-want-to-know-what-to-you.

Krysta: *laughs* All right. I’ll behave. So . . . what is this for?

Sheldon: The extensive network of humans who work to protect Immortal Guardians and shield their existence from society. There’s been a lot more immortal traffic down at Network Headquarters lately, and most of the employees are still pretty nervous around them.

Krysta: *looks at Étienne* I know you explained this to me, but it still seems weird that HUMANS are risking all to protect IMMORTALS when immortals are the ones with the preternatural speed, strength, and senses.

Étienne: *shrugs* Most business is still conducted during the day and you’ve seen what happens to us when we’re exposed to sunlight. We need Seconds like Cam and Sheldon to handle all of the crap we can’t.

Sheldon: *nods* The rest is simple math. Immortal Guardians have been single-handedly keeping the vampire menace in check for millennia, preventing those driven insane by the virus from preying upon humans. But there are very few Immortal Guardians in the world. Far fewer than there are humans or vampires. So the loss of even one immortal would be felt in a big way. The humans at The Network all feel the same way I do — that it’s worth risking our lives to ensure that immortals can continue to risk theirs to protect humanity.

Krysta: That’s pretty much what Étienne said. It just still seems weird.

Sheldon: *grins* I guess it does to newcomers. You’ll get used to it eventually. So. First question. Krysta, did you ever imagine yourself falling in love with an old fart like Étienne?

Étienne: *scowls*

Krysta: *laughs* Don’t say that. He’s sensitive about his age.

Sheldon: Dude, you’re like two-hundred-and-thirty years old. Roland is damned near a thousand and HE isn’t sensitive about HIS age. Man up.

Étienne: First of all, Roland is the exception to every rule. And second, I’m not sensitive about my age. I just don’t want Krysta to think I’m too old for her.

Krysta: *flutters her eyelashes* You’ve proven many times over to my immense satisfaction that you aren’t.

Étienne: *smiles* Minx.

Sheldon: Hey, I was serious about the no-flirting thing.

Krysta: Sorry.

Sheldon: Let’s see . . . *consults notepad full of questions* Étienne, is it true that Krysta tried to decapitate you the first time you met?

Étienne: Yes. I stopped the shoto sword mere inches from my neck.

Sheldon: That is so hot.

Étienne: *laughs* I thought so, too.

Sheldon: I assume, Krysta, that you thought he was a vampire?

Krysta: Yes. I kept expecting him to try to kill me and couldn’t figure out why he didn’t. And you have NO idea how confusing it was to actually find myself attracted to him. I totally thought he was messing with my head.

Sheldon: WERE you messing with her head?

Étienne: *scowls* Of course not.

Sheldon: Does it bother you, Krysta, that Étienne can read your mind?

Étienne: I told you in our previous interview that most of the time I CAN’T read her mind. I just catch the occasional stray thought or two.

Krysta: Yes, but it still bothered me in the beginning because the stray thoughts you DID catch were always the embarrassing ones.

Étienne: *grins* They didn’t embarrass ME. *grunts when she elbows him* Besides, you’ve paid me back many times since then by intentionally sending me naughty thoughts at totally inappropriate moments.

Krysta: *smiles back* What can I say? I like to see you squirm.

Sheldon: You seem to be taking all of this in stride, Krysta.

Krysta: I didn’t in the beginning. I actually tried to decapitate him a second time.

Sheldon: Again — so hot.

Krysta: *laughs* I had never heard of immortals and didn’t know how they differed from the maddened vampires I slew every chance I could get, so . . . I didn’t know what to think of him. Étienne was clearly different, but — for all I knew — he really COULD have been messing with my head.

Étienne: And yet you risked your life to save mine.

Krysta: After you risked yours to save mine.

Sheldon: *sighs* And now his eyes are glowing. Fine. This interview’s over.

Étienne: Thank you.

Sheldon: I’ll see if I can find someone else I can pester with questions. You guys have a nice night.

Krysta: Thank you. You, too, Sheldon.

Darkness Rises

Krysta is used to getting the drop on vampires. Her "special abilities" aren't much, but the plan is simple—she plays helpless pretty young thing to lure them in. Then her shoto swords come out and it's bye-bye, bloodsucker. Until one night she finds herself with an unexpected ally. He's a vampire, all right, but different. Mysterious. Handsome. And more interested in saving her skin than draining it.

Étienne has been an Immortal Guardian for two hundred years—long enough to know that Krysta is special. He can't stop thinking about her long legs, even more than her short swords. Then he discovers the vamps she's exterminating have friends in high places, and the Guardians are in danger too. He'll have to accept Krysta's help to save them. The stakes for a mortal are high. But the cost to his heart might be higher. . .

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series. Her debut novel, Darkness Dawns, was nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance by RT Book Reviews and for Best Paranormal Romance—Vampire by The Romance Reviews. Other books in the series, including Night Reigns, Phantom Shadows, and the Predatory anthology, have been deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and Night Owl Reviews. When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and once even appeared onscreen as a machete-wielding maniac not unlike the vampires in her novels.

Four of today's most exciting paranormal authors take readers into the thrilling realm of vampires, immortals, and other supernatural beings with a thirst for illicit desire...

In Still Darkness by Dianne DuvallImmortal Richart d'Alençon can't forget the woman who rewarded him with a sensuous kiss after he saved her from a trio of vampires. While Richart knows that loving a human can only bring trouble, the taste of forbidden lust is too great to resist...

I love Etienne! Seriously he has been one of my favorite side characters. I wouldn't ask him any questions though because I am curious to see how things play out with him and Krysta. I am not entering because this is a series that I do strictly on audio. They are so darn good!

Hi, Sebella! Good question. Krysta does carry other weapons, but they're all blades. Ultraviolet light devices strong enough to harm the vamps she hunts are beyond her budget, so she doesn't know if they would work. ;-)

Congrats on Release Day! I loved this book!Krysta, If you could change one thing about Etienne, what would it be?Thanks for sharing the fun character interview and the giveaway. evamillien at gmail dot com

*Turns to husband* *Sees his eyes aren't glowing when he looks at me* Dammit. Fictional women get all the good men ;-) Love this series so much, and I can't wait to spend time with Krysta and Etienne! Awesome character interview, gotta love Sheldon:)

Geez! This is hard since I have only read the first two books and that was quite a while ago. I just downloaded #3 to read so i am not familiar with these two enough to really ask good questions. How about...whats your favorite color. I know boring. I'll do better next time I promise!

Krysta: Hmm. I stopped counting after the first few months, so I'm not sure. I hunted vamps every night I could for six years before I met Étienne. When I think about how many that could add up to . . . Wow. I've killed a lot of vampires. That's both satisfying and creepy at the same time.